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Talk:Magical Mystery Cure/@comment-50.136.160.240-20130211010014/@comment-108.202.170.31-20130211012738
The whole debate has exhausted me, but after hearing about all the stuff Hasbro is doing (canning FiM, the Derpy ban, retconning in Cadance and Shining Armor to sell wedding themed toys), and knowing how they have marketed in the past to girls (and the present problem of the pink-purple color/gender segregated aisles of toy stores). Turning the show's bookworm into a princess, complete with dress and wings and a giant Princess Coronation hullabaloo, just seems to be something that further tips that fear. Most fans love the princesses already present -we want to know more about them and their history. That would be far more preferable than Alicorn Twilight and would still be princess themed. Not necessarily rage-quit feeling, but concerned, is how I feel. I don't doubt the skills of the show's writers, but I am legitimately concerned that the somewhat anti-brony stances that Hasbro has taken, their control of the show mostly resulting in adding in Princess stuff and weddings... that it may all end up with Hasbro doing what it has always done, which is profit off of and market based solely on gender stereotypes, and let that bleed over into the show. Your post made me think about it because it was the first anti-alicorn-Twilight post referring to Faust who used her statements to support your stance not by simply shouting that anything against Faust is a sin, but by explaining why her ideas and comments meant so much to you, and why you agreed with her reasoning. Most bronies that are male or older adults (I'm an adult female brony) are legitimately upset over Hasbro appearing to snub us as potential consumers and stifle our beloved creative community, and that stuff like Alicorn-Twilight are worrying signs of such. We have to remember the bigger potential problem, though. MLP is a children's show marketed to girls, and we don't want this amazing show to just turn into another form of media that force feeds tired and negative gender stereotpyes down their throats. Girls have enough of that to worry about. And we don't need them implying to that their younger male fans are wrong for liking it or unwanted (what about a Prince? Or a Male Alicorn? Sparkly pretty colors and all?) No, not to pander to to men as most media does and tailor it specifically to them, but to simply admit and be okay with the fact that dudes like pretty colors and sparklies, and not make those young, probably self-conscious boys who like MLP feel like they are outsiders looking in. You know, the sublte difference between putting in a bunch of macho male stereotypes and male characters in positions of power to "connect" and "appease" male fans (which would just be reinforcing stereotypes about men and what men should like), and adding in male characters who fit the theme of the show perfectly, who are male but pink, male but sensitive, male but emotional and long-mained and have big shiny eyes and all sorts of feature and characteristics that they are told not to like or to emulate - to help bridge the gender-gap in children's media. This was my hope for MLP the show (the fandom has already bridged the gap for adult males! <3). I can't help but worry that such a thing was nothing more than a half-realized dream.